The present invention relates to an image displaying method and an apparatus therefor. More specifically, the invention relates to an image displaying method and apparatus adapted for processing the retrieval and the designation input at high speeds in order to enhance the response characteristics in a system which executes the retrieval and the designation input using as interfaces the images such as document, image file, storage, retrieval, work station, and the like.
In the conventional image displaying apparatus, in general, the contents of a frame buffer memory corresponding to the coordinates of the display are read out, and the pixel data that are read out are subjected to analog conversion and are displayed on a cathode-ray tube (CRT) or the like. In this case, there have been known frame buffers of the type which stores the brightnesses of pixels and color data only, and of the type which designates limited colors that are called color pallets. There are further available frame buffers of the type which displays characters in a superimposed manner by adding attribute data in addition to the image data. In these frame buffers, however, the pixel data are used simply for designating the shade and color but are not used for representing the meaning of the image that is displayed, i.e., they are not used for representing the meaning such as to 37 mountain" or "river" when the data pertains to the scenery.
Literature related to the above-mentioned image displaying apparatus includes, for example, Nikkei Electronics, "Three-Dimensional Color Graphic Display Apparatus based upon Advanced Shading Technology", Apr. 7, 1986, p.p. 170-194, Nikkei Electronics, "Display Function of Work Station Reinforced with Dual Port Memory and Gate Array", Jun. 30, 1986, p.p. 225-252, Nikkei Electronics, "Color Bit Map Display equipped with Frame Buffer which is accessible like a Main Storage", May 20, 1985, p.p. 258-281.
According to the above prior art, the image displaying apparatus simply displays images or character patterns but does not display the meaning of the image. Therefore, even if the image displayed on the image displaying apparatus is subjected to the pointing, the data obtained therefrom are simply related to brightness and color. So far, therefore, the processing apparatus has been equipped with a table for making the coordinates pointed to correspond to the image, in order to determine what it is that is pointed to based on the comparison. When the image is a natural scene, however, it is almost impossible to render the decision. Even in-the case of computer graphics, a lot of processing is required to render the decision when the figure is complex. Even when it is determined what it is, it is necessary to rewrite the image data in the frame buffer memory in order to effect some processing such as highlight (partially brighten) for the pointed to portions only, requiring extended periods of time for processing and transfer, and making it difficult to accomplish high response performance.